‘Dying in the Streets’: All Kids Under 17 Get Curfew in Miami

Miami Police are enforcing a curfew for children under the age of 17, citing safety.

Curfew hours are 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday to Thursday and midnight to 6 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Children under 17 are not allowed to “linger, stay, congregate, move about, wander, or stroll in any public place in Miami-Dade County, either on foot or in a vehicle during curfew hours,” according to police.

Players for Team Pete Basketball said they don’t like the move.

“I don’t really need a curfew,” Keith Stewart said, “but I do feel that a curfew is important because young kids like my age are dying in the streets.”

Other Miami youths said they support the curfew.

“Make them go home, do a little homework, get them home early,” Robert Sanchez said.

Said adult Cesar Barrero: “Kids at that age … there’s nothing for kids to do from 12 o’clock to 6 o’clock in the morning.”

Police say exemptions include if a child is with a parent or legal guardian or someone over 21 years old who has permission to be responsible for the child; and if the juvenile is working or traveling to or from work, traveling interstate, or has written permission to run an errand from a parent or guardian.

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Police have not yet given reasons for the curfew, besides safety. But many people point to rashes of violent and sometimes deadly street crimes often involving young people.

“You know what’s going on,” Pete Soriano of Team Pete Sports said. “You got drug dealing, you got shootouts, kids getting killed left and right.”

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